Adding symbols to images/maps...how? what program?

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sram

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jul 30, 2007
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I have some images/maps that I want to add symbols to. You know, if I draw the symbol in mspaint........(say a square for a hotel for example), when I insert it into the image it will come as the whole thing, not only the lines making the square. I mean, it will be a solid square covering the whole area it is on top of, instead of having only the lines appear .


Is there a program I can use to let me do what I want? I know there must be a way.


Thanks in advance
 
Maybe I didn't make it clear. Say I want to add a circle symbol indicating a roundabout, this is what i will get if i use mspaint:




Now what I only want is the red "Circumference", and not the white background, that might hide necessary details in my map.


Please help if you can.

Thanks.
 
sram said:
Maybe I didn't make it clear. Say I want to add a circle symbol indicating a roundabout, this is what i will get if i use mspaint:




Now what I only want is the red "Circumference", and not the white background, that might hide necessary details in my map.
Click to expand...
MSPaint will do what you want. You need to be drawing directly onto your image.

MSPaint.jpg


When you select the ellipse or rectangle tool (BTW, you can constrain it to a perfect circle or square by holding down the shift key when you draw) you will see three selections below it.

The first is stroke only (using foreground color). You set the stroke width by selecting the line tool (above the rectangle tool) and choosing the line thickness you want.

The second is stroke (foreground color) with fill (background color).

The third is fill (foreground color) only.


EDIT: And this really has nothing to do with Operating Systems, so I'm moving it to General Software. ;)
 
I'm sorry for selecting the wrong sub-forum.

Thanks for your input guys. But, will I be able to use it for different shapes?? I mean, how can I do it for a flag for example?

The thing is that I want those symbols to be ready somewhere(in a folder for example), and whenever I need to add one at some place in my image, i'll just need to insert it. I'm not planning to manually draw each symbol when I need to add one. Yes it will work, but that's not how I want it.


Thanks again.
 
sram said:
The thing is that I want those symbols to be ready somewhere(in a folder for example), and whenever I need to add one at some place in my image, i'll just need to insert it. I'm not planning to manually draw each symbol when I need to add one. Yes it will work, but that's not how I want it.
Click to expand...
Well, that certainly complicates things.

I don't think your idea of having pre-made icons in a folder to insert as needed is going to work, as you will need transparency.

Here's how I might do it... you will need a program that supports layers (MSPaint won't cut it). Photoshop will work but is probably more than you need. I had a quick look at the program pxc mentioned, and it does support layers, as does GIMP which is free.

Set up a master file, dimensions as large as the image you will be using. Create a transparent layer for each different icon you want. Place image/map on its own layer. To use an icon, make that layer active, select and move the icon to where you want it over the image. Select/copy/paste/move additional icons around.

Hope that makes sense. Maybe someone else can think of a better/easier solution.
 
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